Charges mulled against Sussex undersheriff who had county-owned generator

A generator is ready to leave the Home Depot in Roxbury last week.Robert Sciarrino/The Star-Ledge

SUSSEX COUNTY — An investigation is underway to determine if criminal charges will be brought against a former Sussex County sheriff’s officer who was caught with a county-owned generator that he planned to use to power his house, a county prosecutor said Thursday.

“We view this matter as very serious. It’s a very serious thing,” said First Assistant Prosecutor Gregory Mueller.

Former Undersheriff George DeOld lost power at his home on Hibler Road in Green Township during Hurricane Sandy, and had another sheriff’s officer deliver of one of two emergency generators owned by the sheriff’s office to his home on Friday morning.

A resident noticed the generator being delivered, reported it and sheriff’s officers recovered it from DeOld’s home a short time later.

DeOld apologized and resigned from his $97,000-a-year post on Tuesday.

While acknowledging the seriousness of the case, Mueller said there were several factors that may sway investigators against bringing charges against the 64-year-old DeOld:

• He never used the generator and it was in his possession for only an hour before it was recovered by sheriff’s officers;

• The generator was not being used at the time and since it was purchased with SWAP fees it could only be used for the SWAP program;

• Prior to have it delivered to his home, DeOld checked with fellow officers to make sure the generator wasn’t going to be used.

Mueller also noted DeOld, who could face official misconduct and/or theft charges, has already lost his job due to the matter.

“His horribly poor decision to bring a county-owned generator onto his property cost him $97,000. That’s not an insignificant hit,” he said.